Egg-tester.



W. B. TIMBERLAKE.

EGG TESTER.

APPLICATION map JULY 16. I914- Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

m! uomus Pzrsns ca. Imam-Lune wasnmoron. n c

s Parana ornrbn.

WILIBUR B. TIMBERLAKE, 0F JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

Eee-rEsrEa.

Application filed July 16, 1914. Serial No.851,340.

To all whom it may concermi Be it'known that I, l/VILBUR B. TIMBER- LAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg- Testers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to egg testing devices, particularly of the self-contained type in which anelectric lamp, a batteryfor supplying electric current thereto, and suitable circuit-completing connections and conductors are employed, these all being mounted within a case.

Inthe drawings-- Figure 1 isa plan view of a device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line I IIIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device embodying another form of my invention; y

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line VV of Fig, 4; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the adaptation of the invention to a large egg testing apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of an arrangement that I'prefer touse a device employing two lamps.

Fig. 8 is a central horizontal section of the arrangement shown in Fig 7.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 2 indicates a box or casing, one side of which may be opened, beingpreferably hinged, as indicated at 3, in order to permit ready access to the interior. partition 4 is employed to divide the interior of the casing into two compartments, in'one of which is mounted a battery 5 constituting the source of electric supply. In the other compartment is mounted an electric lamp 6 surrounded by a reflector 7, intothe screwthreaded' socket of which the stem or plug of .the lamp is screwed in a well-known manner.

Specification of Letters Patent.

" atentedApr.3,1917.

terminals of which they engage when the battery is in place. 11 indicates-an elastic, spring arm secured to the metal plate 10 with which it has good electric connection.

The end of this arm is preferably formedinto a loop 12 into which the reflector 7 is set and with which it is secured in such manner as to form a' good electrical connection between the two. The loop end ofthe arm 11, and the reflector and lamp which it carries, are arranged directly below an opening-'13, in one of the sides of the casing 2. A flexible sheet, curtain or cover 14, prefe-rably of opaque fabric and constituting a curtain of relatively soft material, extends over the opening '13, being secured to the side of thecasing. I prefer to secure this fabric to the inner face of the side of the casing, although it might be secured-on the out side, as represented in Fig. 4. An opening is formed in the flexible cover 14 opposite the opening 13 and preferably of somewhat smaller size. The elasticity ofthespring arm 11 holds the edge of'the reflector in close engagement with the flexible cover 14, directly behindthe opening therein. The contact plate 9 is extended so as to be directly below or oppositeto the terminal 8 ofJthe lamp, so that by pressing the reflector and lamp inward a little, contact is made'between the terminal 8 and the plate 9, with the result that the electric circuit is completed and the lamp becomes illuminated. The tension 'of the spring is such that it will ordinarily yield sufficiently, when an egg is placed upon the flexible cover 14 over the opening therein and resting upon the edge of the reflector, to cause a good contact to be made between the terminal 8 and the plate. The lighting of the lamp will then cause the egg to be illuminated so that its condition can be determined. The flexible cover or septum 14 serves as a light screen,"and thus operates to assist in securing a good illumination of the egg. f

I'wish it to be understood that my invention is not limited in its useful applications to all of the features and details of arrangement whichI have described and which are illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the draw ings'hereof. Thus in Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated a different embodiment of'the invention. Here the lamp and reflector are supported stationarily, being mounted in an insulating socket 17: One of the conducting wires, 19, fromthe battery leads directly to one of the terminals of the lamp, while the I other, 20, is preferably secured to an elastic arm 11*. This arm terminates in a loop, 12, that extends into the aperture 13 in the casingwall and bears against the flexible cover 14, which in this instance is secured to the outside of the-casing andextends across the .opening 13. This cover is flexible, and, as

already described, preferably consists of a piece of opaque fabric perforated to correspond with the opening 13, and against the inner face of 'it'the loop 12 of the spring arm 11* bears. This arm passes across a stationary-contact piece or bridge 16, which is connected, by a wire 15, with the second terminal ofthe lamp. With the parts arranged l as shown, if an egg be laid upon the flexible cover 14 over the opening therein, its weight will operate to move the arm 11 sufliciently to close the circuit at the point where the said arm crosses the bridge 16, whereupon the lamp will be light ed and the egg illumi-' nated.

In both forms of the invention which I have described, the electric circuit is normallyopen and is only closed when an-egg is placed in position for testing. If, however, it should be desirable to maintain a steady illumination for a considerable period, this may be accomplished by means of a manually controlled circuit closer 18.

' This consists of a part arranged to be moved I being opposite an'opening to receive an egg,

like that in the flexible cover 14. In this arrangement of my invention a single circuit closer only may be employed, as represented in full lines, this being provided by a spring arm 11?" carrying an egg-supporting loop 122 and a bridgepiece with which the said arm engages when depressed by the weight of an egg; or a pluralitylof 'circu'it closers may be arranged in parallel, as indicated'by dotted lines in said Fig.6.

It will be seen that the piece of 'fabric 14 arranged as shown and described, constitutes a flexible, light-intercepting, perforated septum, uponwhich the egg is adapted to rest when pl'aced for testing; and that thecircuit closer of the electric system bears against the?- sa d septum and is arranged to be moved W-henthe Iegg isplaced over the opening in V such septum. The circuit closer, as has been "-.des'cr1bed,-' at its 'free'end is shaped to sup-' port and'm'ore or less closely conform to an egg which it servesto sustainwhile being illuminated for testing, it being understood that the edge of the reflector to which the flexible spring arm 11 may be secured, as represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, becomes part of the circuit closer and also a support for the egg when the arrangement is such as illustrated in those figures.

' In Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated an embodiment of the invention possessing many of the features of the device illustrated in Figs-1, 2 and 8, but differing therefrom in detail, and especially devised for use in a device employing two lamps. In these views a stationary conducting plate 9 is secured to the partition 4, this being connected with the battery by a wire 20. The lamps and their reflectors are supported by the arms of a spring plate 11 that serves as a conducting member of the circuit and is connected with the source of current by a wire 10". The plate 11 is supported above the plate 9 and parallel therewith and is secured in place by screws 21 which pass into the partition 4. An insulating piece 22 is interposed between the plates 9" and 11". It will be understood that in the arrangement shown in these views the lamps and their reflectors are arranged below openings in the casing, and a flexible perforated lightintercepting septum 14 is arranged over each.

lVhat I claim is i' 1. In an egg testing device, the combination of an inclosing casing in one wall of which is an opening, a flexible, yielding, light-excluding septum extending across the said opening, in which is a hole over which an egg may be placed, an electric illuminator within the casing opposite the said hole in the septum, and yielding circuitclosing means for the circuit of the illuminator, bearing against the said septum and arranged to be moved to close the circuit when an egg is placed against the septum.

2. In an egg testing device, the combination of a casing in one wall of which is an opening, a flexible yielding perforated septum extending across the said opening in the casing, an electric illuminator within the casing, yielding circuit closing means for controlling thecircuit of the illuminator, and movable independently of the casing, such circuit closing means bearing against the septum so as to be moved therewith to close the circuit when an egg is put in position to be tested.

3. The combination of an inclosing casing, an electric lamp therein, the wall of the casing being-perforated opposite the lamp, an open electric circuit including a source ofelectric supply and the said lamp, a circuit closer for the said circuit comprising a flexible arm freely movable independently of the casing and carrying a loop substantially concentric with the said opening in the wall of-the casing the loop being shaped to receive an egg that is to be tested and arranged to be moved to close the circuit when an egg is placed for testing.

4x111 an egg testing device, the combination of a casing, one wall of which is perforated, an electric lamp and surrounding reflector arranged in the said opening, an elastic arm constituting a part of the electric circuit of the-lamp and supporting it and the reflector, such arm being arranged to yield when an eggis placed in position for testing, and a contact plate constituting another part of the electric circuit arranged to be engaged by one of the terminals of the lamp when it and the reflector are moved on an egg being put in position for testing.

5. In an egg testing device, the combination of a casing, one wall of which is perforated, an opaque, perforated, flexible cover placed across the 'said opening, an electric lamp and surrounding reflector arranged inside the said cover with the edge of the reflector resting against it, a source of electric supply supported within the easing, an elastic arm secured to and supporting the said reflector and lamp and holding it against the cover, the arm being connected with one terminal of the source of electric supply, and a contact plate arranged opposite the lamp with which one terminal thereof engages when the lamp and reflector are moved inwardly, the said contact plate being connected with the other terminal of the source of electric supply. 1

6. In an egg tester, the combination with an electric light, of a pliable sheet in advance of and mounted to yield inwardly toward the same, said sheet having an egg receiving opening, and a circuit closer operable upon inward movement of said sheet to complete the circuit of the light.

7. In an egg tester, the combination with a wall having an opening, and an electric light in rear of the opening, of a pliable sheet secured over said opening to yield in wardly toward the light, said sheet having an egg receiving opening, and a circuit closer operable by inward movement of said sheet to complete the circuit of the light.

8. In an egg tester, the combination with a wall having an opening and an electric light in rear of the opening, of a flexible sheet disposed over said opening and secured to the wall, the central portion of said sheet being free to move inwardly toward the light and having an egg receiving opening, and a circuit closer operable upon inward movement of said sheet to complete the circuit of the light.

9. An egg tester provided with an electric light-giving element, and a curtain of relatively soft flexible material with an opening therethrough for the reception of a portion of an egg, the tester being provided with electric contacts, one of which is under the control of the curtain and out of the path of an egg introduced into the eggreceiving hole of the curtain.

VILBUR B. TIMBERLAKE.

Witnesses:

GINA CHASE, ERNEST M. MOORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C. 

